Ridley Scott‘s The Counselor has started shooting in London. The first photos from the set have also been released.

The script is penned by one of the United States’ best living novelists, Cormac McCarthy. This is McCarthy’s first screenplay, though his previous novels All The Pretty Horses, No Country For Old Men, The Road and his play The Sunset Limited have all been adapted, by others, to the screen.

Deadline reports:

“The terrain of the script is reminiscent of the rough and tumble world depicted in No Country For Old Men. The protagonist in The Counselor is a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip a toe in to the drug business without getting sucked down. It is a bad decision and he tries his best to survive it and get out of a desperate situation.”

The supporting cast is just as huge as the behind-the-scenes creative team: Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Rosie Perez and Breaking Bad‘s Dean Norris all feature. Unlike most McCarthy novels, the screenplay features two female main characters.

Producer Steve Schwartz (The Road) identified the setting as contemporary south-west United States, ‘a masculine setting’, and a familiar McCarthy environment. It does make one wonder why shooting started in London however.

In the photos the Fass looks as dapper as ever. He is also as prolific as ever, with upcoming roles in Steve McQueen‘s Twelve Years a Slave, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Scott’s as yet untitled Prometheus sequel.

Pitt was asked by Empire whether he was playing another criminal in the vein of his Thelma and Louise cowboy. He replied: “You know, I kinda am. It’s ill-defined, but yeah, I kinda am.” Apparently he will assist Fassbender’s character in his shady dealings.

The film is scheduled for release next year.